Moscow police detain Pussy Riot member, 6 others

May 9, 2019

MOSCOW (AP) — Moscow police have detained a member of the Pussy Riot protest group for the second time in a month and a Russian official says he expects she will face drug charges.

Veronika Nikulshina, one of the four members of the collective who were jailed last year for a protest at the World Cup soccer final, was taken by police on Wednesday. Group member Pyotr Verzilov said on Twitter that six other acquaintances of hers also have been arrested, including some with no ties to Pussy Riot.

The Interfax news agency on Thursday cited Public Observer Commission member Yevgeny Yenikeev as saying the drug charges were likely to be heard on Friday. Nikulshina faces 15 days in jail if convicted.

Nikulshina also was detained in mid-April, but freed in a few hours without charge.